MANAGING COGNITIVE DECLINE CAN BE A CHALLENGE AS WE AGE

Dealing with cognitive decline personally or with a loved one is a process that can be fraught with pitfalls, but there are a number of resources people can use to get the help they need, the Kateri Memorial Hospital Centre director of nursing and community care said.

January is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, and people who might be dealing with their own declines or that of a loved one are not alone. The path to an Alzheirmer’s diagnosis begins with a trip to your family doctor, KMHC’s Robin Guyer said.

“First off, when you’re dealing with a cognitive disease – it might not actually be Alzheimer’s, because there are other diseases that cause cognitive decline, but you want to speak to your family physician first,” Guyer explained. “A diagnosis doesn’t come from one visit and it’s not always crystal clear what the problem may be, because cognitive issues can be all kinds of different things. There are different kinds of assessments that we use, and the Alzheimer’s Society also is a great resource.”

It's important to note that cognitive decline and slight memory loss from aging aren’t the same thing, Guyer said.

“So, it’s really important to be aware that as we age, it’s perfectly normal to forget certain details from a long time ago,” she said. “But it’s when the short-term memory and the immediate recent details become unclear that there may be more of a concern about a cognitive illness. Obviously, in some situations, it’s just a fact of aging.”

If it’s concern – even if that’s a very early concern – there are steps one can take to mitigate cognitive decline and illness, Guyer said. 

“You have to try to keep your brain active,” by doing rain games or puzzles, she said, “and you have to try to keep your body active. Protecting your brain by wearing a helmet when you’re engaging in activities where you could fall is also important and eating healthy also has a great benefit to us as well.”

Guyer added that abstaining from alcohol and drugs is also a great way to help curb any possible long-term effects early on.

If a loved one is dealing with dementia already, loved ones must be ready to use a number of strategies suggested by the Alzheimer’s Society to help keep the peace in the house.

One of them is to “deflect and distract,” to help soothe the situation, Guyer said.

“Don’t argue with someone with a cognitive disease. Instead, just go with it. I used to have one patient who was convinced I was his niece. So, instead of arguing about it with him, I was just always his niece and it went very well,” she said.

If a loved one is experiencing a mental block about something and flat-out refusing to, say, go to a doctor’s appointment, Guyer suggested waiting a few minutes and starting again.

“Often times that situation can be exacerbated by the caregiver’s insistence,” she said. “So, sometimes, just give it ten minutes and come back and try again.”

If you are looking for more information or resources, Guyer said, or if you just have questions, the Alzheimer’s Society is a great place to start. 

Locals can visit them online at www. alzheimer.ca and see for themselves, Guyer said.

“It’s a great resource,” she said.

Marc Lalonde, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Iori:wase

2024-01-18T12:39:27Z dg43tfdfdgfd